I rarely have large prints made, but recently ordered a couple from PhotoWorks.com. I'm very pleased with the prints, and they were inexpensive. They are printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper. Is that a good quality paper? I'm wondering since I intend to give the framed prints as gifts, and I may want to sell a print every now and then.
Fuji Crystal Archive has been our choice for many years for conventional photo prints from our studio--- To the point that we changed labs when our pro lab quit using it for a while. I agree with Guy on the value of Kodak's opinion!
Also note that Crystal Archive comes in 3 surface type. The matte version is my personal favorite and also seems the most popular among buyers, at least for landscape images.
Adding to Guy's post above, I've noticed at my local Costco that they have a cheezier consumer version of Fuji Crystal Archive matte paper, which looks more like a "luster" (it's more glossy and pebbly than professional Fuji CA; Costco calls it "luster"). The paper is marked by Fuji as CA, but it is definitely not identical. I have yet to raise the question with Fuji or Costco.
That may be what I'm getting in these prints. A 16 X 20 print cost me $17.95. I'm very pleased with the prints, and since I usually just use them for me, or gifts, I can't see spending lots of $. So cheesier paper or not, I'm still pleased. Any idea how I could find out for sure, for curiosity's sake?
You could ask the lab who did your printing, Alice. I suspect that the paper I speak of is formulated to withstand much more handling than the pro paper should be subject to. There is a distinct difference between Fuji CA matte which is very smooth and low gloss, and this more consumer oriented version which is clearly more pebbly and glossy (and overall feels more plastic-ky).
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Guy